Hayley Ziebart: Cancer talk. Blah blah.

Hayley Ziebart

Age: 33

Family: Husband, Aaron; sons Grayson, 6, and Lincoln, 3

Occupation: K-12 Certified Music Teacher / Owner of Studio Z.

About: I married the love of my life in July 2002. I have two awesome sons, two male dogs and one male fish... Three words: I AM QUEEN. I LOVE God...He is KING! I am a daughter, sister, wife, mom, friend... currently fighting breast cancer to continue living THIS life as honorably and as fruitfully as I can, being as imperfect as I am. Read my personal blog at lifesprom.blogspot.com.

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It seems like any time I go out in public these days, I run into someone I know or someone who recognizes me and "knows" me through "a sister of a cousin of a friend" or what have you.

One of my friends recently said, "I feel like you're a celebrity" when we were out and about - to which I scoffed, laughed and reminded her we live in a small town where just living here means you know half the population, cancer or not.

Anyway. The conversations are all so similar.

We heard/read the latest. We're praying. How are you? What's next?

Cancer. Cancer. Cancer. Blah. Blah Blah. .....

Cancer.

A friend spouted off over the phone this past week yet another common one: "I'm sure you're sooo tired of talking about cancer."

I replied, "Yes, I am. Cancer is not a nice topic. It's not a nice word. In fact, there really isn't ANYTHING NICE AT ALL about cancer."

However, something very significant dawned on me recently while I was meditating on this topic.

Cancer talk consumes my interactions with people because I am THAT BLESSED to have many - like hundreds - be that concerned with and for my life.

Yeah.

This is me pausing IN. AWE.

What makes me so special?! Lots of people deal with cancer. In fact, I cannot believe how many people I participate in cancer talk with who know someone who's been there. Fought it. Won. Lost.

It's not even that uncommon to have someone tell me they themselves faced it at one point in life.

Like someone on a KPIC post for one of the fundraisers held for us commented, "What makes this girl so special? She just has breast cancer, lots of women in Roseburg have had breast cancer."

But NO, I'm not DONE talking about it, because every time I receive another opportunity to do so, I am reminded of how utterly surrounded by love and concern I am.

Frankly, in the midst of all that is totally and utterly awful about cancer, those talks and what they stand for recharge my desire to kick it in the bottom so I can be semi-guaranteed future non-cancer talks with the many of you who have proven your love and desire to see me move past it and get back to just living.

Hayley Ziebart is married with two sons. Read her Fridays on Douglas County Moms. Also check out her personal blog here.

Cancer talk consumes my interactions with people because I am THAT BLESSED to have many - like hundreds - be that concerned with and for my life.